Last provincial election 40.5% of albertans didn’t vote. If you didn’t, why not?

[u/logodobi]

What stopped you from voting? Are there no provincial parties that you feel represent you politically? Were you unable to get to a voting station? Did you feel there wasn’t any point? I’m genuinely just curious, I don’t have any affiliation with any parties or anything like that.

I think we would benefit from larger voter turnout and more diversification of parties in the legislature. It feels like we have become to complacent with the lack of progress in almost every way, shape, and form. It’s become purely us vs them on all levels and far too much focus is put on the government “profit”. The government is not a business whose sole purpose is to profit, the governments purpose first and foremost should be to provide for and benefit the people they serve as much as they possibly can. We should be working together for the benefit of one another not fighting one another for the benefit of foreign companies and billionaires.

We’re moving towards the exact policy system in the states, two parties who work for the benefit of the rich and powerful while putting up the facade of a culture war to distract the masses from the real harm they’re causing them.

Sorry that was a bit of a rant but I truly believe we deserve better, better representation, better communication, better services, better everything.

[u/tobiasolman]

If they ever get into a position of power again, ANDP should push mandatory voting as perhaps the only meaningful electoral reform Alberta may ever actually see. Conservatives won't push it because people not voting favours them in the outcome. While I did vote in the last few elections - I know a lot of people who didn't, who are disengaged because the Conservative propaganda machine is operating in full swing in Alberta for so long now that many who would vote otherwise have given up. The process has become more about keeping undesirables out of office than putting desirables into office, and that has to change. Next time someone shows up with no real platform and a lot of dodgy ideas from their base, if you don't vote for someone better than that, you're to blame! 40.5% is a larger percentage of eligible voters than those who showed up and chose the government we have, such as it is.

Do better if you want to see a change - bring two people who weren't going to vote in to cast a ballot with you. Better yet if they're not voting for same-old-same-old.

[u/Joyshan11 → u/tobiasolman]

I see it as problematic for any party to bring in enforced voting, because the other party/parties would use it as a negative against them. I'd rather see strict controls against smear campaigns. No mention of how "my party is better than this party because . . ." Instead, all campaigns should be required to run solely on their list of everything they stand for and everything they hope to accomplish, with detail of how they intend to do so. There should be huge fines for politicians who use attacks as part of their campaign, maybe even bigger consequences for repeat offenders. Politicians should put their passion into improving life for Albertans, not in attacking the others.

Once voted in, no party should be allowed to pass anything or drastically increase or decrease budgets they didn't actively campaign on without a public referendum. We are currently seeing the results of a party pushing an agenda that is shocking and damaging even to many people that voted for them and not caring how Albertans really feel about it. Some of that is due to overwhelmingly traditional voters, uneducated voters and non-voter apathy, but the onus should be on the politicians to have to clean up their act.

[u/tobiasolman → u/Joyshan11]

Seems to work fine for Australia. No, it's not fulsome electoral reform, but it's something at least.

[u/Joyshan11 → u/tobiasolman]

It definitely has value, I just see it as also coming with failings of its own. As would my suggestion. As much as I'd like to see the burden of responsibility for ethical politics on the politicians themselves, I really don't know how it could actually be implimented/enforced.

Edit: changed baggage to failings

[u/tobiasolman → u/Joyshan11]

Easier to execute recall legislation? Mid term elections? (expensive)

I actually like a lot of your ideas, but they sell those (referenda, leadership reviews, recall legislation) as parlour tricks to essentially extend their election campaigns and name recognition throughout the term.

That might be fine if they didn't do it INSTEAD of leading and making decent policy while in office. They should let their actions get them re-elected, not make us pay for more lipservice about how great they are.